Guest your turn: Two bears at Tregembo Animal Park relocated

Just a few days prior to Christmas, two bears were taken from our local zoo, Tregembo Animal Park, to be relocated to a facility in Colorado. (Source: WECT)

By Angela Holt

Just a few days prior to Christmas, two bears were taken from our local zoo, Tregembo Animal Park, to be relocated to a facility in Colorado. This was the result of a settlement reached between Tregembo Animal Park’s owners and the plaintiffs in a costly lawsuit supported by PETA.

I believe this was not about what is best for the bears in question; it is about money and forcing the radical, anti-zoo views of a few people on the rest of us. Over the years, as a zoo visitor, I have had the privilege of witnessing the great care that zoo staff at Tregembo provided for the bears, both of which were rescued by the zoo over ten years ago.

A few years ago, after one bear’s illness, a number of veterinarians were brought in, and he made a full recovery. Recently, an esteemed veterinarian from NC State University visited the bears and found them to be healthy.

I feel the bears have been wrongly removed. These healthy bears did not need to be “rescued” to a sanctuary home. This move is undoubtedly causing the animals great, undue stress and trauma. Photos and video show the “sanctuary” --the bears' new home-- has rugged, inadequate enclosures and substandard food for the bears.

It is my strong opinion that those who worked to move the bears have caused more harm than good. Thank you.